Mideast peaceful if Jerusalem is Palestine capital: Abbas

CAIRO: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas clearly stated that the Middle East would be peaceful only if Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine. He was addressing a gathering of world religious and political figures held in an old part of Cairo at Al-Azhar University hall on Wednesday. The two-day conference was sponsored by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and organised by Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders.

Abbas asserted that Israel’s aggression had been increasing against Palestinians due to the policies of US President Donald Trump. “Jerusalem would be a gateway for peace only if it’s the capital of Palestine”. Abbas called on Arabs to visit Jerusalem, noting that by doing so it would not legitimise Israel’s control of the city.

Many Egyptian officials including religious leaders from Al-Azhar University and Egypt’s Coptic Christian Church have for decades refused to travel to Jerusalem in protest at the Israeli occupation.

During the speech, Abbas slammed US President Donald Trump’s policies against Palestinians and the participants were applauded over almost every critical comment.Mahmoud Abbas stated that the Palestinians would not turn to terrorism to achieve their goals but rather take diplomatic measures.

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb called on Arabs and international community to show support for Palestinians. He also called on the Muslim world to turn attention to Palestinian issues and Jerusalem. He also proposed 2018 “to be the year of Jerusalem.”

Last month, Al-Tayyeb rejected a meeting requested by US Vice President Mike Pence in protest against a US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.Egyptian Coptic Pope Tawadros II, head of the Coptic Orthodox church, said US President Donald Trump’s Jerusalem decision paved the way for “the judaization of Jerusalem.”

Interestingly, the conference brought together senior Muslim, Jews, Christian clerics, political figures as well as regional and international organisations from 86 countries.Speaking with The News, cleric of Jew United Against Zionism, Rabbi Dovid Feldman stated that the conference was “crucially important” to have the world understand that Palestine’s occupation is “totally wrong” and turning Jerusalem into the capital of Israel would be more worse.

AFP adds: The Arab League chief charged that a US decision to freeze crucial funding for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees was aimed at wiping out the whole issue.

“This decision affects the education and health of Palestinians and aims to eradicate the question of refugees,” Ahmed Aboul Gheit said at a conference in Cairo on the disputed city of Jerusalem.On Tuesday, the United States held back $65 million that had been destined for UNRWA, two weeks after President Donald Trump threatened future payments to the agency.